Some 44 percent of public willing to get vaccinated: Survey

ISTANBUL

The number of people willing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus has increased slightly, a survey by Ipsos has found.

Some 44 percent of those polled between Dec. 25 and Dec. 29, 2020 said they were considering getting the shot, up from the 38 percent in the previous survey, conducted between Dec. 18 and Dec. 22, 2020.

In late October last year, as much as 51 percent of the public said they would get vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the number of people who said they would not get the shot declined to 24 percent in the latest survey from 29 percent in the Dec.18-Dec 22 poll. In the October survey, some 18 percent of those polled said they would not get vaccinated.

Some 32 percent of the surveyed said they were undecided, slightly down from the previous survey’s 33 percent.

The Ipsos study also found that nearly 41 percent of the public planned to get the shot within three months when the vaccine is ready.

Turkey plans a massive vaccination drive starting with health care workers and the most vulnerable.

The first batch of 3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine bought from China arrived in the county on Dec. 30, 2020.

The injections will be tested for 14 tests at local laboratories before the authorities roll out the vaccination program.

Turkey also sealed a deal for the procurement of the BioNTech/Pfizer injection.

Some 4.5 million doses of the vaccine will be sent to Turkey by the end of March, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced late December.